


Glimpses of a Pink World

by autistic_dragon



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alien Invasion, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Steven is Pink Diamond, Benevolent Dictatorship, Colonization, Drabble Collection, Gen, Out of Character, Snapshots, Steven Diamond AU, i guess, i'm gonna totally screw up canon, i'm really disappointed that that isn't an actual tag, this isn't very kind to rose quartz and i'm not sorry about that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-11 00:35:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15303567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autistic_dragon/pseuds/autistic_dragon
Summary: Steven has finally claimed his birthright as Pink Diamond– the Earth, and all who live there. Will he succeed where his mother failed, or will he fall prey to the same fascination that she did?ORSteven's journey to becoming a true Diamond, mostly through the eyes of those around him.





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is a ridiculous AU with absolutely no context or backstory that I'm aware of. Some may be added later, but don't count on it because I hate doing that sort of thing. Basically, Steven is Pink Diamond and he's taking control of Earth. Is this a canon divergence from season 5, where he decided to join the Diamond Authority? Possibly. Or is it an AU where he was raised as a Diamond, never really knowing anything else? Who knows! I certainly don't.
> 
> I'll be taking heavy liberties with the characterization of every character I can possibly get my hands on, and I'll be butchering what little I know of canon Homeworld and Gem society. I only just got to the Pink Diamond reveal episode, so. Don't expect me to stick to canon.
> 
> This first chapter won't really be a drabble, but the following chapters will be snapshots of the Earth under Pink Diamond's rule. Some will be pro-Diamond Authority, others will be neutral, and some will be against it. This chapter switches between referring to him as Steven and referring to him as Pink Diamond, and that's done on purpose. It's based on how he sees himself compared to how Blue Diamond sees him.

The moon base was stunning. It was the culmination of months of hardworking, of architects coming and going, of countless Gems poring over plans for the building and designing of the base. And it was finally done, the result even grander than its ancient counterpart next door. It was all light pink crystal, carved into intricate designs featuring roses and trees and animals; the halls were tall and wide, curved into beautiful archways, glass windows displaying the stars to those inside. Plants were everywhere, with numerous gardens scattered about, filled with flowering rose bushes and cherry trees, greenery perfectly blended with an assortment pink blossoms, all kept safe in the simulated atmosphere of the bubble around the base. Fountains were a centerpiece throughout the base, carved from a pale pink stone that was unrecognizable, flowing with crystal clear water and rejuvenating anyone who neared them. It was the home to so many Gems, all eager to prove their worth in the new Pink Court.

But the focal point of the base, the hall that their precious Diamond resided in, outshone anything else. It was cavernous, with near silent waterfalls covering its walls, suspended crystals from the arched ceiling bathing the room in a soft light, and massive pink cushions scattered across the floor, carefully placed to form a wide path leading to the dais at the end of the cavern. The dais itself was hidden behind pink curtains, the material looking as light as air while never moving unless it was pushed, dark enough to allow the Court outside to see nothing but the silhouette of their beloved Diamond. Very few Gems had been given the honor of seeing beyond those curtains, of being so close to their Diamond.

A Diamond who, at the moment, was hurrying through those halls, barely taking the time to acknowledge his subjects saluting to him, and the beauty of his space didn't even register in his harried mind. Pink Diamond– _Steven_ – didn't run, refusing to let his subjects see their Diamond in such a state, but it was a near thing. He couldn't bring himself to care though, preoccupied with the knowledge that his sister was there, that she was finally visiting his colony and giving him the chance to show her what made him love it so much. 

Sure enough, when he arrived in his throne room and pushed aside the curtains, he saw her. She was kneeling on the heavy cushions behind the throne, placed there specifically for his sisters, and gazing through the pink stained glass roses down at the Earth. Her smile was small, but held no trace of the bitterness and grief that she had been holding onto for thousands of years, and Steven was relieved to see it. His sister had finally broken from her grief, settling back into her role as Blue Diamond, and it couldn't have happened at a better time.

As he approached, Blue Diamond turned her head just the slightest bit and gave him a wider smile, patting the cushion beside her in an invitation that he gladly took. "Pink! It's so wonderful to see you, especially in a finished base. It looks lovely, and is befitting of your new status."

"It's wonderful to see you as well, Blue. You know that I always love your visits, but I doubt that you came all the way here to discuss architecture and interior design. Let's get the serious conversation out of the way so that we can go have fun; what is it that you're here for?"

Blue Diamond's smile dimmed just the tiniest bit, and she turned her gaze back to the Earth while she thought. For several moments, they sat in silence. "Yellow and White are. . . worried about you."

"Oh."

"Not like that! They're just worried that we may have repeated our mistake, giving you a colony so soon. We can't– We can't lose you again, Pink. I don't think we would survive it."

"So what do you want from me? Are you planning on taking Earth away again?"

"No!" Blue Diamond turned to her brother and gently shifted him to face her. When she spoke again, her voice was softer, gentler. "We aren't going to take away your colony. But they need to know your plans for it, so that we can be prepared for any outcome. We'll do everything in our power to help you succeed, Pink, but we can't do anything if you don't let us."

Steven was silent for a long moment, until he finally spoke. "I don't want to destroy Earth."

"So you've said. But that's where Yellow's worry is stemming from; she doesn't want to lose you to this planet again."

"And she won't! I'll succeed where my mom failed, and I'll do it _without_ destroying the planet. She was fascinated by Earth in a way that only a child with a new toy can be, but me? I _love_ Earth, and I always have. I've seen the best and the worst of humanity, and I want to see both this planet and its denizens thrive. And that's why I'll take control of the Earth, so that I can ensure that this planet survives and reaches its peak potential. Humans obviously can't be trusted with their own planet, but that doesn't mean that they deserve to be destroyed."

"And how will you ensure this planet's survival? What are your plans?"

"I'll start with the planet itself. So many parts of it are damaged, but they can be fixed!" As Steven spoke, his voice got louder, his passion pushing him to stand and start pacing in front of the concerned gaze of Blue. "I already have teams sent out, Gems that I handpicked to repair the damage to the Earth's atmosphere and to start a mass cleaning of the planet, focusing mainly on the oceans. After we officially announce my claim of the planet, then I'll start sending out Gems to set up my fountains to rejuvenate the Earth and to set up my crystals to clean the air."

Blue watched him pace and gesture, her face betraying nothing. "And after you've cleaned this mess up?"

"Then I'll start with replanting! We can get rain forests back to their peak size, we can revive the coral reefs, we can restore the parts of the planet that humans have destroyed!"

"What will you do when humans continue with their ways and destroy your hard work again?"

"They won't, because I'll also be taking control of the social aspect of the planet. They can't be trusted with running their own societies without running them into the ground, so I'll be assigning a handful of my most trusted Gems to take over world governments and to enact my will. Humans can still keep their figureheads, but we'll all know who's really in charge. With my Gems in place, we can start tackling social issues, like poverty and starvation and bigotry, all of which have no place in one of my colonies. By this time next year, I promise you that you won't even _recognize_ Earth."

"What will you do with the Zoo? It has no purpose if humans continue to survive." Blue Diamond was getting drawn into her brother's excitement, but she didn't let it show; she needed to ensure that Pink had thought of everything before she could declare her support.

"The Zoo still has a purpose. It was mainly too hold humans, but my mom tossed in anything that held her interest for more than five seconds. The vast majority of animals and insects that are extinct or endangered on Earth still exist in the Zoo, and we can repopulate their species and slowly reintroduce them back into their rightful ecosystems. We can also continue using it to breed animals that are endangered now. The humans in the Zoo are a different matter, though. I don't know how we'll handle them, if it'd be better to release them on Earth or to keep them in their current habitat. They're basically domesticated at this point, and reintegrating them into human society may be impossible."

"I'm glad that you've thought this through so much. I'm sure that under your rule, this planet will thrive. And if this base is any indication, you'll make it absolutely beautiful." She looked at Pink, her face stony. "But I have only one more question; what if you fail? What if the Earth can't be salvaged? What will you do then?"

Steven stayed silent for a long moment, looking at the stained glass mural behind his throne. It was his Diamond mural, so similar to his mom's, and yet so different. Pink roses fanned out from around it, giving the stars and planet beyond a pink tint. He took a deep breath before answering.

"If I fail. . . If this planet can't be saved. . . Then I'll do what needs to be done. I love Earth, but not as much as I love you and our sisters. Not as much as I love Homeworld. I will not allow my colony to become a liability."

The moment Steven finished speaking, Blue's face split into a wide smile, brighter than the sun. "Well said, Pink! Yellow and White may still be worried, but I am positive that you're ready for the responsibility of a colony. I'm sure you'll do wondrous things with it! Now, the official part of my visit is over with, so let's go have fun! Show me everything you love about this planet, and maybe I'll learn to love it too."


	2. The Announcement

An average day, with nothing particularly outstanding happening, was suddenly interrupted.

People jerked to a stop without regards for where they were standing, noisy highways fell dead silent, armies paused in their rain of bullets, and the entire planet stood still as the world was washed in pink.

Visible to almost every across the world, with exceptions made of the blind and those underground, glowing pink diamonds split the sky open, revealing a brightly smiling humanoid with paper white skin, unnaturally blue eyes, pink hair, and an odd orb embedded in its forehead. This being's smile widened, unable to see the people looking back at it but knowing they were there just the same.

"Greetings, humans! And any other organic sentient beings who may be on Earth at this time! I am an envoy of Homeworld, here to deliver a message of great importance! Today, our Diamonds, flawless in their glory, have continued something started over five thousand years ago! They have reclaimed Earth as theirs, and declared it to be the next occupied colony of the Diamond Authority! In their limitless mercy, they have assigned the radiant Pink Diamond to rule this planet and all who live on it so, as of this moment, you are all officially citizens of the Diamond Authority! More information will be released as it becomes relevant, but for now, continue as you always have! If you have any questions, please visit your nearest Gem Information Center for help and be aware that any and all resistance against our Diamond will be met with swift and harsh punishment. Remember– our Diamond, in his infinite love, only has your best interests in mind!"

And with that, the diamonds in the sky went blank, folded into themselves, and blinked out of existence.

For a long moment, everyone stood still, the silence broken with nervous laughter. This couldn't be real, of course! It had to be some sort of elaborate prank! . . . Right?

And then the sky became dotted with pink ships of all different sizes and shapes, quickly approaching the surface.

And chaos erupted.


	3. The Tower

Simone wasn't expecting anything interesting to happen today. She started the day as she usually does; she woke up, ate breakfast, fed the dogs, and then went outside to feed the chickens and check on the eggs.

Which is when she saw the tower.

A beautiful, shimmering pink tower with roses carved into it. A tower that definitely had not been there the night before.

Logically, Simone knew that she couldn't ignore the aliens around her forever. But she lived in rural Texas, for God's sake, what would the aliens be doing there?! She'd never had to interact with them, never even saw real proof of their existence since that day that the announcement was made and the ships came. She saw youtube videos, of course, even had some facebook friends who posted about alien shit.

But she never expected it to reach her home. That tower was a symbol of everything that she'd been running away from for the past 3 months, and she knew exactly what it would do.

She'd seen videos of them being erected before, knew that the center of the roses would start spouting water soon, water that was unnaturally clean and that shone a soft pink when hit just right by the sunlight. The water would fall into the base of the tower and spread into the earth below, supposedly healing damage done by humans.

Did she believe that? She didn't even know at this point. But everyone said the same thing; when a tower was erected, it was always followed by cleaner rain, healthier livestock, stronger crops, more abundant vegetation.

But it was also followed by more aliens, who built more weird crystal buildings and their creepy “information centers” and made it impossible to pretend that they didn't exist.

Simone tried to scrounge up some of the anger that she felt that first month, tried to think about all the freedom fighters who disappeared and the aliens who were changing the world around them like they were kids messing around with play-doh, but it just. . . wasn't there. She was too tired to be angry, had too much work to do to worry about some aliens moving in next door.

Her chickens hadn't been fed yet, and that took priority over some weird hunks of rock. With that in mind, she turned her back on the tower and continued with her day.


	4. The Resistance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone hoping for Steven to eventually see the error of his ways and stop the invasion, then uh. This is not the fic for you. Humans aren't going to come out on top in this scenario.

"We're fucked! We're so, so fucked!"

"We won't be if you shut up for once!" Tony snarled at his brother.

"Those scanners are everywhere–"

"They can't detect us! We're humans!"

"The Hemetites updated them or something! That's what happened to Mila's group!"

Tony ignored that. Mila's guys did disappear recently, but no one knew what happened to them, no matter what Leo tried to claim. And even if the scanners had been updated, they couldn't just change their plan. They'd gotten too far to turn back now.

"We just need to keep going. We need to get the bombs set up or else these fucking monsters are just going to keep coming. This is the only way we can defend our planet."

"Tony, we can't– we can't do this! They're going to catch us and I– I don't want to die. This isn't–"

Silence. Tony frowned down at his communicator, wondering if it was malfunctioning. It was Gem tech, so it couldn't be broken already, right? Their shit was perfect.

"Leo?" No response.

He tried every channel, trying to get in contact with the rest of his teammates, who were supposed to be setting up their own bombs in different spots.

Leo. Amy. Michael. Tatiana. Caitlyn.

Every single channel was dead silent, not even giving static. Tony felt panic creeping up his throat, and he desperately tried to shove it down. He had to stay calm, had to keep going, _he could still finish this_ –

A soft pink light cut through the darkness, a sure sign of a scanner slowly passing by and checking over everything in its surroundings. Tony closed his eyes and held himself perfectly still, familiar with this routine and simply waiting for the scanner to pass by him.

He just had to stay still; it could only detect Gems and movement, not humans. _He would be fine._

He was wrong.

He saw pink light through his eyelids as it passed over him, and then he saw it turn red, heard the ringing of the siren going off–

Then there was only darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! And if I made any typos, even minor ones, _please_ let me know.
> 
> (And yes, I already know that I tend to use dashes and italics too liberally. I don't care.)


	5. The Pamphlet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another slice-of-life chapter, this time with a Gem going about her daily business.

Spinel. . . wasn't entirely sure what she was doing at this particular location.

She had heard about Pink Diamond's return, of course, who hadn't? She had even expected to be transferred to his Court, especially after she pointed out that, with Pink Diamond back, there was no reason to keep a Gem of her shade in Yellow Diamond's court. But this just seemed unnecessarily excessive.

The screen floating in front of her kept flipping through different images of smiling Gems and humans, with titles such as "Humans and You!", "Your Place in the Pink Court," and "10 Things You Need to Know for Your First Visit to Earth." The pictures were clearly staged, with humans and Gems alike in faux casual poses and caught mid-laughter.

It was absurd, to say the least, but she was gratified to see that she wasn't the only who was confused. Every other Gem in the room seemed to be torn between bemusement and horror when faced with all the "pamphlets" (what even _is_ a pamphlet anyway?) laid out in front of them, and the smiling helper Gems weren't really all that helpful. They'd been on Earth long enough to forget how disorientating it was, it seemed.

Was all of this really necessary? Spinel wanted to serve her Diamond, sure, but was that really worth tackling this ridiculous planet and its weird organic lifeforms? Why couldn't he have just started building kindergartens, like the other Diamonds did to their first colony? But no, of course he had to start with an inhabited colony and assign her to it!

Maybe she should've stayed quiet about her color. Working in Yellow Diamond's Kindergartens wasn't what she was made to do, but it was easy work and she was content with it. It was definitely better than whatever _this_ was.

But she'd made her choice and now here she was, at Earth's Gem Orientation Center with no way to back to Homeworld. In a few minutes, she would be called in a meeting room to speak with one of the orientation officers to get her started, but until then, all she had to do was read the "informative pamphlets" given to her. Resigned to her fate, and hoping that things would be better after orientation, Spinel tapped on a random pamphlet ("Pros and Cons of Eating: What's the Right Choice for You?") and started reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think.


	6. The News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried a different style this time. Let me know if it's too confusing. Sorry for the length!

"They're monsters! They already admitted that they've _destroyed planets_ –"

***click***

"–I just don't see the point of getting so worked up over this. How many people have truly been affected by the Gems' arrival? It's just bureaucracy at this point."

***click***

"They've already started limiting our actions; we can't use paper, we can't use gasoline, we can't even smoke cigarettes! Is this sort of extreme control really what we want in our lives?"

***click***

"Personally, I think we're better off. Scientists have been talking about climate change for decades while politicians sat on their hands. With Pink Diamond in charge, humans have no choice but to finally take action and that _benefits_ us. There's downsides of course, but–"

***click***

"They've stolen our hard-earned money! They claim that it's being 'redistributed,' but we all know that that's just code for giving _our_ money away to some lazy freeloaders! I worked for years to make my billions and I'll be damned if I just sit by and watch while they–"

***click***

"Poverty is at an all time low less than a year after Pink Diamond took over Earth. Everyone has medical coverage, homelessness has been all but eradicated, the standard of living has risen exponentially, and happiness rates are through the roof. There is absolutely no reason for humans to continue to–"

***click***

"Oh sure, it all seems benevolent now, but we've all seen what the Gems do to anyone who opposes them. How long will it be before they decide that Earth isn't worth the resources they're pouring into us? What will they do when they decide that we're a liability? We need to think _critically_ about this before it's–"

***click***

"So viewers, we want to ask _you_ for your thoughts. Is Pink Diamond a blessing sent from the heavens, a pretty demon who crawled directly from our worst nightmares, or something in between? Comment on our Facebook page and let us know what you think!"

**_*click* ___**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me a comment (here, not on my non-existent facebook page) letting me know you think.
> 
>  
> 
> **Edit: whoops, I really did not mean to post this. Guess you're getting two chapters today? Good job, Hawke.**


	7. The Temple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a forewarning, this may come off as anti-religion. It isn't, I'm religious myself, but this is from the perspective of a less-than-impressed Gem.
> 
> This is a bit shorter than the other chapters (I think) but more substantial than The News so. Whatever.

"Does His Clarity know about this?"

Pezzottaite couldn't help but turn their gaze around the building, taking note of everything they could see. It was all pink and while they were normally okay with that, this was. . . not exactly tasteful, especially compared to his Diamond's beautiful creations. It was gaudy, like the toys they saw advertised to human "girls," and was covered in wilting pink roses. Even the mural on the back wall, which supposedly depicted their Diamond, was wildly inaccurate.

Pezzottaite had no idea when their Diamond had gotten so. . . _muscular_. Or so tall.

The human "priestess" fidgeted, drawing their attention back to her, and gave them a nervous smile. "Not. . . exactly? He's not really easy to get ahold of and it would've just been embarrassing to ask his Pearl or Morganite for permission–"

"You should have asked anyway," Pezzottaite cut in.

The human just tittered nervously. "Don't you think he would like it though? Worship of the Diamonds is becoming increasingly common, even among Gems, and this temple is the most popular place for Pink Diamond's worshipers to gather! It's even styled after his own designs! We're calling our religion–"

Pezzottaite interrupted her again. "I don't care what you call it, I just want it stopped until you've gone through the proper channels. Our Diamond is a real being, not some powerless and faceless 'god,' and you'd do well to remember that. This so-called 'temple' is closed until it gets approval from the Court. If we get word that you've continued this absurdity, I will return and you will _not_ enjoy what follows."

With that, they turned on their heel and strode out of the building, ignoring the human sputtering behind them. That "rose incense" was giving them a headache and they still had more work to do before they could return to their Diamond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if it's a bit messy. And I'm also sorry for not replying to comments yet; I'll do so when I'm in a better mood. Next chapter will start getting into the resistance.
> 
> Let me know what you think.


	8. The Example

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been writing these in a notes app on my phone, but the color options don't include pink. Maybe he's Purple Diamond now?
> 
> Please note that the humans mentioned in this chapter are NOT the same people from The Resistance. That was a small-scale attack on a warp hub. This was a lot bigger.

"We need to make an example of them, Pink! This is not acceptable!"

'We disposed of the others quietly, this doesn't have to be any different–"

"The others didn't attack YOU!"

Pink had looked at Yellow steadily throughout their rising argument, but at her outburst, he finally looked away. The silence between them continued to stretch, until her rage made her body itch so badly that she had to do _something_. Turning from the projection of her brother– the brother that she had almost lost _again_ –Yellow flicked on another screen, looking into the holding cells of the humans that had been captured only hours before.

They looked so. . . normal. For humans, anyway. They weren't powerful Gems, or even an organized army. They were just three regular humans who thought they could kill a Diamond. If she had been there, she could've stopped it immediately. She could've crushed them in her hands or under the heel of her boot. She could've swept up Pink into her hand and been back at his moon base in just moments. They were so fragile, so easy to break.

But so was he. And thinking of how easy it would've been to dispose of those humans made Yellow think of easy it could've been for them to dispose of Pink.

She knew that, in time, his gem would overpower his human body and enable him to unlock his full powers and his true potential, turn him into the Diamond that he was always meant to be. But that day was far off, and until then, he would stay half human and _they don't know what that means._ Could his body age and fall prey too mortality before he even had the chance to ascend beyond humanity? If he were to be severely injured, would he simply retreat into his gem and regenerate later, like they would?

Or would he just be. . . gone? His light snuffed out as easily as any simple human's?

She and the other Diamonds didn't know, couldn't bring themselves to test it, to risk hurting him. And so all they could do was equip him, give him the strongest Rose Quartz and Amethyst soldiers they could make, send over their most prized and most accurate Sapphires, fill his Court with the most capable pink Gems they could find, and wait. Watch his colony, and Pink himself, with baited breath, praying to the stars that he would be safe.

Yellow and Blue had both pleaded with him to stay in his moon base, far from where hostile humans could reach him, surrounded by hard crystal and a Court willing to lay down their lives for their Diamond. White had not said a word during the argument, but her stony face and clenched fists spoke volumes. Pink hadn't listened, no matter how much Yellow yelled or Blue cried. He had said that he needed to visit his colony, needed their humans to see their new leader. And maybe he was right. A faceless leader meant nothing to such simple creatures, who couldn't believe that something existed until they saw it themselves.

She agreed with his rationale, but in the face of the chaos that had erupted, any sense of logic had fled her. He had been _attacked_ the moment he stepped foot on that damnable planet. As soon as he stepped off the warp pad, the explosions started. Dozens of primitive bombs going off around him, each one strategically placed with the sole purpose of destroying Pink Diamond. He had escaped from the destruction unscathed, but not without costs. As soon as they realized something wasn't right, his own Quartz soldiers had thrown themselves on top of him, desperately trying to protect their Diamond. Some loyal humans had even thrown themselves on the explosions to lessen the impact of him. But regardless of their efforts, numerous of humans had been killed or injured, and several Gems had to be rushed to one of Pink's gardens to heal cracks in their gems.

And that could've been _him_. Yellow could've lost her sibling again, and it would've been all her fault. _Again._ Because she gave him that colony, because she let him leave the humans alive instead of building Kindergartens on Earth, because she let him rush into something that he wasn't ready for. Just like she did with his predecessor.

She didn't tell him any of this, of course. Yellow refused to place that burden on Pink's shoulders, and would wait until their call ended to vent to her Pearl or to the other Diamonds. For now, she buried her fear deep inside of her and focused on her anger, turning her attention back to the humans. She knew they couldn't see her watching them, but she still hoped that they could feel the force of her glare, feel the pure hatred running through her. She wanted them to suffer, wanted those weak, _worthless_ creatures to suffer just like she had suffered for millennia. They had almost ruined everything, and she would not let them get away with that. 

"Pink." Her brother's eyes snapped back to her face, his attention caught by her suddenly flat tone. "This is not acceptable, in any way. These humans are getting out of line, filled with false confidence by the silly idea that they can win. They think they can defeat you, and you need to show them that they can't. And the only way to do that is by showing them how badly their best efforts have failed." 

Pink stared at her for a long moment, not saying a word, and she prepared for his objections. They're just humans, they could never actually hurt me, I don't want to be a cruel ruler, _they look like me_ – 

But those objections never came. Instead, Pink sighed, slumping over in his throne for just a moment, before he sat back up and straightened his shoulders. When he finally spoke, his voice was firm and he was meeting her gaze without hesitation. "I know. I wanted to avoid this, but they've left me with no choice. I refuse to let this handle of unhappy humans destabilize my entire colony. Garnet and Pearl will start making arrangements immediately. This will not happen again, Yellow. I promise you that." 

Yellow Diamond couldn't hide the relief she felt, and she didn't bother trying to hide it. Her brother was finally taking control, finally showing his little colony that he was more than just a pretty Gem. 

Diamonds were beautiful, of course, but they were also strong, unbreakable. Pink Diamond would learn that in time, would eventually live by it, and she would be there with him for every step of the way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished writing this only a few minutes before I started copying it over to AO3, and it's funny to see how much I changed things while I was typing it here. Writing is weird.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think!


	9. The Palanquin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter, and unfortunately, it might be a bit messier than the others. I usually edit as I type everything into AO3 but I just copy and pasted this from my word doc so. Be warned.
> 
> I introduce my non-canon Pink Pearl in this chapter, so [here's an idea of what she looks like](http://nonbinary-hawke.tumblr.com/post/176002347698/the-closest-i-can-get-to-my-version-of-pink-pearl). Doll makers are a writer's saving grace.

Levi knew about Pink Diamond's palanquin, of course. It was in every history and politics textbook released since the Gems took over, images of it were plastered on every news station whenever Pink made an appearance, there were even toys modeled after it. He knew exactly what the pattern on it was, the shade of pink it shone in the light, and the way the curtains shifted in the breeze. He had even watched videos of it moving to get an idea of how fast it was, how the legs shifted like an insect's, and how the figures inside never seemed bothered by the movement.

He had never seen it in person though, and he had no idea just how massive it was. It had always looked small but, he suddenly realized, that was in comparison to Quartz Gems standing next to it. He was just a tiny human though, and only 13 years old to boot, and he felt dwarfed standing in front of it. The rest of his classmates looked like they were thinking the same thing, and their teacher looked almost ready to faint.

It was funny, how his Homeworld Culture class was the first group of students ever chosen to see their Diamond in person, but they were already so intimated that they couldn't even speak, let alone do the salutes that they'd been practicing for weeks now. And they hadn't even seen him yet, only the exterior of his palanquin and some of the members of his Court.

Before they could even get a look at him though (even if it was impossible through the curtains), a Pearl approached them and quickly ushered the class towards the gardens that they were supposed to be touring before meeting Pink Diamond. Levi noticed that it was a different Pearl from the one that gave the announcement only a few years ago, but that wasn't unusual; he'd seen lots of Pearls since then. This one stuck out to him though; maybe it was the fact that she was pink instead of off-white or ivory, or how she was wearing pants instead of a skirt, or the way she was draped in sheer scarves.

Maybe it was the way that every Gem they passed parted for her like she was Moshe and they were the Red Sea.

He'd studied Gem hierarchy with the rest of his class and knew that Pearls were basically handmaids for higher ranking Gems; what was so special about this Pearl that led to everyone treating her so differently? He didn't voice his questions though, and so he received no answers.

Levi's class went through the tour, admiring the beautiful greenery and the healing fountains, the ponds filled with koi and creatures from other planets. They had lunch inside a pink marble gazebo, picking from plates of foods they didn't recognize and sipping at the fancy pink lemonade that was served. And finally, after the gazebo was cleared and they were ushered towards the center of the garden, Levi saw the palanquin again.

Still massive, still terrifying, but also oddly comforting after 2 hours of listening to the love in the Pearl's voice as she told them about her Diamond. Now, instead of being anxious, wondering if he was even worthy about this honor, Levi was curious and excited. What would Pink Diamond look like? Would he be as pretty as the Pearl, or as terrifying as the Rose Quartz soldiers stationed nearby? Would he be small like a human, or massive enough to not be dwarfed by his own palanquin?

Would he be cruel, or loving like his Pearl said he was?

Finally, the curtains parted and Levi got his first glimpse of the being inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	10. The Reports

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried a different style today, and I actually had a lot of fun with it. Even if the formatting killed my poor fingers.
> 
> The Creamrose Pearl in this chapter is actually canon Pearl; I thought that the Creamrose color fit her better than any of the others I looked at without getting into the confusing white pearl vs White Pearl situation.

**Status Report #17**

**2023-06-15**

**Chalcedony Facet-6T Cut-3HF**

**Overview:** A team of three (3) Amethysts have been stationed in Mae Hiaphum, Thailand in response to hostility. Further information pending.

 **Details:** An emergency signal went up from Mae Hiaphum at approximately 1700 hours on 2023-06-14 after a scout Amethyst (Facet-5 Cut-8XM) was assaulted by a human resident. The assault was an isolated case, and only one perpetrator was identified and taken into custody, a 34 year old male. When prompted, the human confessed to being a former member of a disbanded human extremism group. He is currently in custody and awaiting trial. The Amethyst is uninjured and will remain in our Diamond's throne room until she regenerates, per His instructions.

**Further information will be reported as the situation develops.**

—

[ **Correspondence received from:** Creamrose Pearl; SK-016 Omikron Kindergarten

Thank you for actually writing the report properly. Make sure that Amethyst stays in her gem for at least 24 hours; she has a bad habit of rushing through regeneration.

Continue to keep me updated.]

—

**Status Report #23**

**2023-07-02**

**Chalcedony Facet-6T Cut-3HF**

**Overview:** The atmospheric repair teams almost finished with their work and will be returning to the Court as soon as possible.

 **Details:** The majority of the damage in Earth's atmosphere has been repaired and the larger teams are starting to pull back. Once we get the all-clear from our Diamond, we'll send in the smaller teams for the minor damage that needs a more delicate touch. Atmospheric repairs should be completed within the week.

**Further information will be reported as the situation develops.**

—

[ **Correspondence received from:** Creamrose Pearl; SK-016 Omega Kindergarten

At least we finally have some good news coming in. In case our Diamond forgets to remind you, He wants Peridot Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG in charge of those teams. Don't forget.

Continue to keep me updated.]

—

**Status Report #26**

**2023-07-09**

**Chalcedony Facet-6T Cut-3HF**

** REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION **

**Overview:** A human uprising occurred in Rio de Janeiro. It was stopped relatively quickly, but reuslted in injuries.

 **Details:** A group of 23 humans from an extremist group in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil occurred on 2023-07-08. The humans mainly used crystal song canisters, provided to them by a rogue Topaz, and managed to crack 3 Gems. There were no human causalities and all inured Gems were repaired at a nearby garden. All perpetrators were identified and apprehended and are currently awaiting trial. The Topaz has been bubbled until further orders are received.

**AWAITING YOUR INSTRUCTIONS.**

—

[ **Correspondence received from:** Creamrose Pearl; UR-9447 Prima Kindergarten

A Topaz working with human extremists? How absurd. Keep her bubbled and prepare for her to be transferred to Homeworld; Blue Diamond can decide what to do with her.

Continue to keep me updated.]

—

**Status Report #34**

**2023-07-18**

**Chalcedony Facet-6T Cut-3HF**

**Overview:** Emerald has requested an audience with Pink Diamond.

 **Details:** On 2023-07-18, at approximately 0623 hours, Yellow Diamond's Emerald requested an audience with Pink Diamond for the 7th time this year. Pink Pearl rejected the request, but is concerned by Emerald's growing anger and perceived threats. I've attached a file containing a record of our most conversation with her, along with records of the previous audience requests, for you to look over before we make any decisions regarding the situation.

**AWAITING YOUR INSTRUCTIONS.**

—

[ **Correspondence received from:** Creamrose Pearl;UR-9447 Gamma Kindergarten

I don't know what she expects from us; we've already apologized for the theft of her Sun Incinerator and replaced it with an even better model. If she wants more, then she needs a reality check. Forward that file to Pink Diamond and Yellow Diamond so that They're aware of what she's been up to. They can decide where to go from there.

There's no need to continue sending me these reports as I'll be back on Earth within the next two days. Continue writing and archiving the reports, and please make sure to tidy up the base before I arrive.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	11. The Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written in like 5 minutes. Sorry for how short it is and how it's not the best quality, I just wanted to get something posted.

**_Calling Lance  
Call Started at 9:23 PM_ **

“Hey.”

“. . .”

“I heard about what happened. How. . . How are you doing?”

“Oh, I'm doing just fucking fine. My sister is dead and I feel like my entire world just crashed around me, but whatever! Not like any of that matters!”

“We don't know if she's dead, Lance. Maybe she escaped and they're trying to cover their tracks.”

“Seriously? Are you really going to go down that road? Just hang up now if you are because I'm in the mood for it.”

“. . . You're right. I'm sorry.”

“Whatever.”

“Are we. . . are we still on for next week?”

“Of course we aren't!”

“You're backing out _now_? After everything Cece went through to get this all set up for us? We can get out of here!”

“So we can do what? Get killed just like she did? Or worse, get sent to that fucking zoo?”

“They won't catch us—”

“They caught her! They caught her and who the fuck knows what they did to her and what they learned before they got bored and got rid of her. There's no way that they don't know about the escape plan.”

“Everything is still in place!”

“Because it's a trap! How can you not see it!”

“Lance—”

“No, Courtney. I'm done. I'm just. . . done. My sister is dead and no one is talking about it. They told us that she just moved, but we all know the truth. Everyone is just too scared to say anything and they're just willing to accept what they're told. And you know what? Maybe they've got the right idea.”

“You don't really believe that.”

“Maybe not yet, but I'm gonna have to start believing it soon. I can't keep doing this.”

“But the plan. . .”

“The plan was never going to work. We all knew it, even Cece. But we still pretended to believe anyway because we're dumb kids. Where would we have even escaped to? The Gems have taken over everywhere.”

“I can't just accept that we're trapped here!”

“Well, I can. I. . . I'm sorry, Courtney, but I have to go now. I have a test first period tomorrow.”

“Lance, you can't just—”

“Goodnight, Courtney. I'll see you tomorrow.”

**_Call Ended at 9:35 PM  
Call Duration: 11 min 16 sec_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think.

**Author's Note:**

> I welcome constructive criticism. If I made any errors, if you think I could word a sentence better, if anything feels clunky, please let me know! And if you want to read more, let me know about that too!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
